Reclining chairs



March 3, 17959 FQF; scHLlEPHAcKE' 2,875,812 RECLINING CHAIRS Filed may 3. 1957 f 2 sheets-sheet 1 F/al.4

' .Y lNvr-:NTQRV FRIDTJOF E SCHUEPHACKE AfToRNEY March 3,'1959 F. F. sc'HLlEPl-IACKE 2,875,812

RECLINING CHAIRS Filed May s, 1957 2 sheis-sheet 2 INVENTOR FRIDTJOF E SCHLIEPHACKE' TZ/MLM@ ATTORNEY Unite-cl Patent RECLINING..CHAIRSy Fridfiof F; schliephacke, Berlimschmar'genddff, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Application May 3, 1957, Serial'No. 656,904

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to chairs and pertains particularly to reclining chairs having a leg rest which moves into position to support the legs as the chair moves into reclining position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a reclining chair of the type described which is extremely simple in construction and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a chair embodying the invention, one side frame of the chair being broken away, the chair being shown in upright position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the chair in reclining position.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the chair.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the chair comprises a base unit comprising two similar spaced side frames 1 and 2 which may be rigidly connected together in any suitable manner, as by the connecting frames 3, 3a. The side frames may be of any suitable construction, wood or metal, and may be upholstered or not, as desired.

Located between the side frames 1 and 2 and supported thereon is a reclining seat unit comprising a seat 4 and backrest 5. The seat and backrest may be of any suitable construction, wood or metal, and may be upholstered or not, as desired. As shown, the seat is of conventional upholstered construction having side frames 6 and 7 tied together by suitable connecting frame 8 and supporting upholstered cushion 9. The side frames 6 and 7 extend parallel to the frames 1 and 2 but are spaced inwardly therefrom.

The rear portion of the seat unit is mounted on the side frames 1 and 2 for translational, reciprocating movement with respect thereto. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated, a pair of tracks 11 and 12 are rigidly mounted on the side frames in position to engage the rollers 13 and 14 mounted on brackets 15 and 16 connected to seat frames 6 and 7. The tracks 11 and 12 are provided with abutments 17 at the front ends thereof to limit the forward movement of the seat unit. Rearward movement of the seat unit is limited by engagement of the rollers 13 and 14 with the frame 3a.

The leg rest 21 is also of any suitable construction, either upholstered or not, as desired. In the embodiment illustrated, the leg rest is upholstered and includes 'side frames 22, only one of which is shown, it being understood that in the following description of the means for pivotally connecting the leg rest to the seat unit and to the base frame for causing swinging movement of the leg rest as the seat unit moves to reclining position, the parts shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 on one side of the chair are duplicated on the other side.

Thus, the leg rest is mounted for pivotal movement on 2,815,812 I Patented Mars. '3.,J 19.591

onel end rigidly connectedto one ofA the leg' rest" side framesr 22, andits other'en'dpivotally-connected to one of the-seat unit sidefframes and-Thy meansofbolt-sf 24:y The leg restsis.: alsoconnected to the seatl unigtf f -at one end by bolts 29 and are pivotally connected to the rear end of levers 26 at the other end by pivot pins 30. Levers 26 are mounted for pivotal movement on the base frame in any suitable manner, as by pivotally mounting them on rod 31 having its ends fixed in the side frames 1 and 2. Rod 31 also serves as a tie rod to connect the frames 1 and 2.

In the upright position of the chair, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the leg rest is in its retracted position beneath the seat. In this position, the leg rest is almost entirely concealed by the side frames 1 and 2 and the seat, and permits unobstructed access to and from the seat when one is sitting down or arising from the seat. In this position the front end of the chair is supported by engagement of the side frames 6 and 7 with the rod 31. Whenever one sitting in the chair exerts backward pressure against the seat unit, as by pressing forwardly against the side frames 1 and 2, the seat unit will move backwardly on the tracks 11 and 12 to the position shown in Figure 2, carrying with it, through pivot 24, the leg rest 21. In doing so, the backward movement of the seat unit, acting through links 27, lever 26 and arms 25 will cause the leg rest to swing to the position shown in Figure 2. While doing so, the lever 26 swings on its pivot 31 as the leg rest swings on its pivot 24 until it engages the stop 32 as shown in Figure 2 at the end of the rearward movement of the seat unit. In this position, the front end of the seat is supported by the pivot 31, while the rear end of the seat is supported by the engagement of the rollers 12 and 13 with the tracks 11 and 12. In the reclining position of Figure 2, the lever 26 can also swing slightly on its pivot 31 depending on the distribution of weight on the seat and leg rest, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated, the leg rest swings through an arc of about to bring the leg rest substantially to horizontal position.

If, now, when the chair is thus in reclining position, it is -desired to resume upright position, it is only necessary to exert slight downward pressure on the leg rest, accompanied by backward pressure against the side frames 1 and 2 to cause the seat to move forwardly, while at the same time the leg rest swings beneath the seat.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. A reclining chair comprising a base unit having opposed, spaced side frames, a seat unit located between said side frames, means for mounting the rear portion of said seat unit on said base unit for translational movement with respect thereto, a leg rest locatedv between said side frames and pivotally mounted on the front portion of said seat unit, and means connecting said leg rest to said seat unit to cause said leg rest to swing with respect to said seat unit as said seat unit moves with respect to said base unit, said means comprising a link pivotally mounted on said seat unit and a lever pivotally mounted on a side frame at a point intermediate of its ends, one end of said lever being pivotally connected to said link and the other end of said lever being pivotally connected to said leg rest.

f beneath said seat unit to engage and support the front "2. A'reclining chair as claimed in claim 1 in which the Y pivotal mounting of said lever includes a member mounted onfsaid frame and extending inwardly from the frame portionpf said seat unitr when the chair is in upright 5 position. Y

3. A reclining chair asxclaimed inL claim 1 including4 an;abutment securedV to a side frame and positioned ,to engage said lever to support the front portion of said 10 seat unit when the chair is in reclining position.

i References Cited in the le of this patent n UNITED STATES PATENTS Mednick June 21, 1949 Spear Jan. 5, 1954 Richardson Feb. 23, 1954 Fox Aug. 17, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS France Feb. 9, 1931 France Mar. 14, 1932 Great Britain Sept. 28, 1955 

